WASHINGTON–-At a time when polluting corporations are trying to use the economic slowdown as an excuse to delay action on global warming, a new Greenpeace report shows that aggressive investment in renewable power and energy efficiency can create a $360 billion a year industry, provide half of the world’s electricity, and slash $18 trillion in future fuel expenditures while protecting the climate.

"Energy [R]evolution:
A Sustainable World Energy Outlook," drafted by the European
Renewable Energy Council (EREC) and Greenpeace International,
provides a practical blueprint for rapidly cutting energy-related
carbon dioxide emissions to help ensure that emissions of the
heat-trapping gases peak and then fall by 2015, the time frame
scientists say is critical to avoid the most catastrophic impacts
of global warming. This can be achieved while ensuring economies in
China, India, and other developing nations have access to the
energy needed to lift people out of poverty.

"Unlike other energy
scenarios that promote energy futures at the cost of the climate,
our energy revolution scenario shows how to save money and maintain
global economic development without fuelling catastrophic climate
change. All we need to kick start this plan is bold energy policy
from world leaders," said Sven Teske, Greenpeace International's
Senior Energy Expert and co-author of the report.

"Strict efficiency
standards make sound economic sense and dramatically slow down
rising global energy demand. The energy saved in industrialized
countries will make space for increased energy use in developing
economies. With renewable energy growing four-fold not only in the
electricity sector, but also in the heating and transport sectors,
we can still cut the average carbon emissions per person from
today's four tons to around one ton by 2050," he added.

In the context of
today's economic uncertainty, investing in renewable energy
technologies offers a win-win-win scenario: a win for the economy,
a win for the climate, and a win for energy security. The report
estimates that the cost of continued reliance on coal, from today
through 2030, is as high as $15.9 trillion, more than required to
pay for the renewable solutions proposed in the plan. These clean
energy sources will produce electricity without any additional fuel
costs after 2030, while creating millions of jobs and stimulating
the global economy.

Oliver Schäfer, EREC
Policy Director said, "The global market for renewable energy can
grow at a double digit rates until 2050, and overtake the size of
today's fossil fuel industry. Currently, the renewable energy
market is worth $70 billion and doubling in size every three
years."

"Because of economies
of scale, renewable energies such as wind power at good sites are
already competitive with conventional power. From around 2015
onwards, we are confident that renewable sources across all sectors
will be the most cost effective. The renewable industry is ready
and able to deliver the needed capacity to make the energy
revolution a reality. There is no technical impediment but a
political barrier to rebuild the global energy sector," he
added.

"Countries like China
and India are well placed to take the enormous investment
opportunity presented by the energy revolution," said John
Passacantando, Greenpeace U.S.A. Executive Director. "It would be
short-sighted for them to focus on fossil fuels to power their
rapid economic growth. The energy revolution is key to them
climate proofing their development."

The report also
highlights the short time window for making the key decisions in
energy infrastructure. In order to achieve a greenhouse gas
emission peak by 2015 and a fast reduction afterwards, governments,
investment institutions and companies must act swiftly, and agree
to a strengthened UN climate deal.

Notes: The report was developed in conjunction with specialists from the Institute of Technical Thermodynamics at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR), the Dutch Institute Ecofys and more than 40 scientists and engineers from universities, institutes and the renewable energy industry around the world.
This year’s edition of the Energy [R]evolution added detailed analysis of the potential for energy efficiency potential, future transport systems such as electric cars and a financial analysis of the power sector.
The report provides a comprehensive global energy concept which gives a detailed analysis of how to restructure the global energy system based on a detailed regional assessment for the potential of proven renewable energy sources, energy efficiency and the utilization of efficient, decentralized co-generation. The Energy [R]evolution Scenario is compared to a ‘business as usual’ scenario provided by the International Energy Association’s breakdown of 10 world regions as used in the ongoing series of World Energy Outlook reports.